perseid72

Because the date of implementation was put off until Fall (middle of Football season) most are waiting to see if someone reverses this insanity first or the The Birmingham News is to be bought out. Seeing Tom and Bob going already tells me there are not going to be any more Pulitizers under the current ownership. When the Capt and Lt. go over the side, the rest of the quality journalists can't be too far behind.

Bachus has already been cleared by two former Securities and Exchange Commissioners of any wrongdoing. Sen. Sessions, Sen. Shelby and I firmly endorse the Honorable Spencer Bachus with our honor, donations and votes.

I fully support Mitt Romney. Much of the criticism I see posted above are inaccurate “sound bites” by the opposition campaigns and don’t reflect the true record of the man. (For an accurate account see “The Real Romney” by Kranish and Helman.) I am an economist, have read all 150 pages of his economic plan and the position papers of the other campaigns which are being constantly revised). Only Romney has a realistic plan to turn this country around and give our children and grandchildren a bright and shining tomorrow.

When Dr. Portera announced his retirement, Dr. Rice was the first person I thought of and I have already contacted Rep. Williams to thank him. Many of the comments above show total ignorance of the interworking of the two Bush administrations. Dr. Rice is probably the one with the least "blood on the hands". Her experience as provost at Stanford, knowledge of the local community which she has renewed since leaving office, her experience running the National Security Council ending the cold war, and running the State Department while we geared up to fight the war on terror make her the best choice to lead a large research university since Eisenhouser became president of Columbia University.

If the new law had nothing to do with it, why did Alabama's unemployment rate go down 1.5% compared to the AVERAGE for Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi? As for Alabama's rate being helped by seasonal employment (i.e., Christmas help) two arguments against this: 1. Retail employment actually went down in Alabama by 1,500 in the period in question 2. Seasonal employment affects ALL areas of the country approximately equally.

Other observed signs are that landscaping crews employed by my subdivision's Property Association have gone from only the owner speaking English to all employees speaking English. Friends a UAB are reporting a large drop in Spainish language only patients coming into the ER which are almost universally uninsured and very expensive to paying clients of the hospital because of costs for not only free care at the most expensive option (ER) but the cost of employing interpreters which must be used, are passed on to paying clients.

Is the law perfect, no. Is it reducing illegal alien employment, increasing employment of Alabama citizens, and reducing costs to the State of Alabama which has very well documented problems providing services to its legal citizens, the answer is a resounding YES!!!!!

I remember when Alabama players showed up for games in a Crimson blazer, grey pants, white shirt and black tie. Coach Bryant made sure they looked and acted like gentlemen and successed in most cases of making not just men but gentlemen out of them. He was too much of a gentleman to wear his hat inside the superdome where we just won this championship because "My mother told me to take my hat off in the house." If you can't show the ultimate class an Alabama fan, student or alum should show for all people at all times, then please remove the crimson and white from your body because you haven't earned it. You are a shame to this great University and we don't need or want you. And yes, I am a UA alum.

It will cost me $2,000 dollars but the Social Security Trust fund already is paying out more that it takes in so I say let it die. If you want to reform the tax code, fine. Do that. Every tax exemption should be sunsetted at the end of 2012 and any countinuations whould have to be passed individually. Congress and K Street could only get so many of them back in the next year. Have a progressive tax code with very limited exemptions. Capital gains go to only U.S. stocks and bonds. Holding gold, putting money in CDs, investing overseas, etc. create no American jobs. Why should these activities receive special long term capital gains treatment?

In private education, my organization has a policy of NO GIFTS of ANY VALUE from students to teachers at any time. NO TENURE, no matter how many year of service. Has worked great since we have been highly successful since 1965 with over 90% of our students placed in a job in their career field. Student success is the measure of a excellent teacher and the young adults you guide into successful careers is the only gift a teacher should need or want.

Up to the early '70s the "Machine" had pretty close control of the SGA but it's clout faded almost out by the time my son graduated in 1984, according to him and he was a "Geek" not a "Greek". Was GDI as was his father before him.

Lets talk real statistics. U of A, 15 Rhodes Scholars. AU, 1 Rhodes Scholar. Tuscaloosa contains the largest Community College in the state. Auburn, AU and K-12 schools only. Tuscaloosa 1 day older than the state itself with the urban problems of a city of 83,000. Auburn, students, faculty, staff, and support business and spinoff business in a city of 54,000.

In short your are comparing Apples and Oranges or put another way, the Auburn fans are comparing Alabama Apples to their Auburn "Sour Grapes".

At junk bond status, the interest rate on the required replacement bonds is going to be about 10%. Even with the debt reduced to $2.05 billion (and they offered that in settlement) so no bankruptsy judge will let them off for less that their previous best offer, the interest will be $205 million a year which is about Jefferson County's total income right now. Get ready for both sewer rates and all sorts of taxes to soar. And for those of you outside Jefferson Co., don't have too much fun laughing at our troubles. Your borrowing cost will be up 40 to 50% on you next bond issue unless it is assured by a fixed revenue stream, i.e., new dedicated property tax.

I have been pulled over on the Red Mountain Expressway by Jefferson Co. Sgt. Tony Richardson. He was diving an unmarked Bronco and was NOT in uniform. The time was 9:30 A.M. on a Monday morning and I was wearing a suit and tie and on my way to my office. I was not guilty of any offense. I am a college professor by occupation. I was in an old car and he was on a "fishing expedition" and found nothing.

A special session must be called and the governor must state beforehand that ALL bills are general not local because a Jefferson county bankruptcy will affect the interest rates and even the ability to borrow for the next forty years of the state, counties, cities, school boards, utilities, etc.,while make the citizens and property owners in Jeff Co. worse off not better. Like children, the must be protected from their worst posturing, which if not circumvented, will leave their supporters in desperate shape as they see businesses vote with their feet to leave Jeff. Co., property values dramatically fall from their already low values and impossible to sell, and 25% increases in their sewer bills per year coming almost immediately.
Vulcan could be getting very lonely if the negotiated settlement isn't completed, some tax revenues unearmarked and some services restored.

I agree that more should have been upheld. What I want is for "The Birmingham News" to ask just one of these crying farmers and contractors for a list of the places they have advertized that they have jobs open, i.e., school, college, and church bulletin boards, some Quick marts, online (including Al.com) and even in print. I scan these ads on a regular basis for my college students and I have yet to see an ad for an agricultural worker. You're telling me they will let their entire crop rot before they will purchase an ad in "The Birmingham New".

Certain elements of the religious community have been making statements about "We feel of the message of Christ who welcomed the stranger despite their country of origin or status." They seem to forget that everyone that Christ ever spoke to was a member of the Roman Empire. There were no illegals in the Holy Land.

I am an education professional and I donate money or pay dues to IEEE,
CompTIA, ETA-I, and other professional associations, none of which
are paid by payroll deduction. I write a check or login in to a secure
server and use my personal credit card to pay them. No one would ever doubt
that my contributions to my professional associations are truly voluntary.
The AEA members can do the same and will if payments to the AEA and
it’s PAC(s) are truly voluntary.

The problem for the AEA is that the contributions they receive from their members are
not truly voluntary. I worked for Lawson State Community College (nee Bessemer State
Technical College) for three and a half years and I know (1975-1979). Employees
without tenure are subject to not so subtle forms of immediate “blackmail” and “ostracism”
if they don’t immediately “volunteer” to join and contribute to the AEA.